Nearly a decade ago Eddie Milne, now the Independent Labour MP for Blyth in the North-East, first ecat to larold Wilson and the then Housing Minister Anthony Greenwood about corruption in the local Labour Party.
The issue was a PR contract fur a Blyth centre redevelopment scheme which had been given to a gentleman called T. Dan Smith who, as a local Labour Party official, was simultancously trying to press the deal on tu the Blyth council.
T. Dan Smith, along with Alderman Andrew Cunningham and architect John Poulson, became housebold hames cight years later when the biggest scandal since tho Profumo business made the headlines.
For several years these three had been cooking up deals using public funds to line their own pockets. They undoubredly deserved thewr eventual lato, bur Jor the ancH MOCUS E TOCIC ACTC, AMO SUEL are, many more important questions to be alswered As in 1965, so today the national adcisun or the camout teriy nas systematically retused to conduct any sort of enquiry of its own into corruption m Ene poter rase no douatde mopco everybody will think that now the rotten apples have boen semoved, everything in ue maroc s orciy. Bat ine crimes that Smith, Cunningham et al comnitted in relation to public funds canciot be separated from their conduct inside the Labour Party and trade union moverent LOSTE OI Tes HOLEs.
WITCH-HUNTING
Cunningham, for cxample, was the Northern Region secretary for the GMWU, which has a huge local membership, especially in heavy industry liice the shipyards. His skill in witch-bunting militants would have tade Carron, Deakin and their trends across the soas in the AFL-CIO proud.
One case was that of John Curling = lelt-wing Divisional Cf aitiser for tbe GMWUwho was sacked front a full-timie post in the union at a Kangaroo Court held in a hotel on a unian officials" dayouting for committing amongst other things, the ctime of having dicty shoes at work. He was told that four-hour dock meetines were no excuse!
Red Weekly 12 September 1974 Page 2 Better known is the case of Eddie Balne himsel who was pren tunuly ckpel led from the Labour Party for his fight on LIS JUCARUI 5o widesptesd was the know eiue of the corruption and burcavcratic таласиvrings in the North-East that when bidie Milne stood 2s an independent in the last cloction the massise majority that the Labour Party had enjoyed for decades was removed owcrnieltt and Milhe found himsell anco more al A'estminsler Al present Miine as still campo igriny for an officiai Labour Party enquity. The most recent name to hit the headlines was that of Edward Short, Leader of the Howe of Commona, whosg maimia tion Milne has demanded because of his links wiww cunniner.am ang commy PUBLIC MEETING The latest stage in the campuign is a public mecting to be held in the centre af Newcastle with Milne and Carling as speakers along with Boh Penningron. national secretary of the IMG and former docks official for the "blue' union. No doubt more accusations will be made diong the unes oe washing daty lmen in public, especially so soon before an election.
But a full enquiry into the corruptian in the North-Fast carried out by the SHUIE HEYCETCHE SUNTRETHUEI not, as many people would put it, suply to get rid of right-wingers.
The bess for corruption will always exist as lone as there is mo mtermal demio CAC ISOC WC UTOOnS DER aIr movenent, The leaders of tho trade unions and the Labour Party have to be aocounlahle to their membership. The laboar movement in the North-Fast must not only conduct an enguity into alkepitions of corruption but more importantiy discuss and take a clear position on tlu programme of the Labour Party, especially just before an election.
A real fight for workers" democracy, which would eliminale cocruption in its stride, would place the working class in the most favourable position not anly to infuence the programme of the next Labou Government but, more importantly. provide the precondition for the sruegie of the working class actually to implement that programme.
Public meeting-"Carruption and the light tor domocraey in the isbaur mouement Thun 19 Sept, Spm, Bridge Hotel, Newр cc mane MP. John Carting (G&MI, Bob Pernington (IMG) The uniformed bover boys" of the